FITNESS EXERCISES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 18 February 1939, Page 6

FITNESS EXERCISES

THE FIRST WEEK, MOVEMENTS EXPLAINED. In connection with Physical Fitness Week, at 7 o’clock each morning next week there will be broadcast the first set of fitness exercises. There are a lew things to -1 remember when doing the exercises: Perform them with vigour; put plenty of effort into them; yet keep the rhythm and work with tho music. Try to keep good positions. All the time keep the body upright, chest up; yet don’t hold yourself stiffly. Allow the muscles free movement; try to achieve suppleness. And above all try to breathe naturally when doing the exercises. Read the explanation of the exercises, follow the diagrams, and get a mental picture of what to do, so that you will have no difficulty when you come to do your “daily dozen” with tho music.

One word of warning to those who find it a little bard at first: Just do what you feel you can cope with; then add a little more each day as you get more fit, till finally you can go the full distance.

Here is an explanation, with diagrams of the exercises that will be broadcast each morning at seven o’clock.

Exercise I.—Stand feet astride, that is about two feet apart, body erect, arms hanging relaxed by the side. To start the exercise :

Count 1. —Keeping the knees braced all the time, bend the trunk forward to a position where the bands are about one foot from the floor.

Count 2.—Raise the body about six inches; then allow it to drop, beating the floor .with tho hands. Count 3 and 4.—Now raise the body to an upright position, arms at the side, turn the palms of both hands outwards, hands close to the body.

Exercise ll.—-Stand with feet two feet apart, but this time place the hands on your hips—-that is, hips firm. The lwdy must be erect but not held stiffly. Count I.—With a rhythmical movement, bend body over to the left as far as it will go, keeping it square to the front. Count 2.—Now swing right over to the right as far as possible.

Exercise lll.—Stand with feet astride—body erect—not stiff. But this time, with arms still relaxed, cross the wrists in front.

Count 1. —With a swinging movement swing the arms to a sideways position shoulder level —arms, hands, fingers fully stretched, pulling with a stretching effect —the hands to the rear, but not downward.

Count 2. —Now reverse the -arm movement back to the original position-

Exercise IV.—Stand at attention with the hands placed on the hips. Keeping in time with the music, raise each knee as high as possible.

Exercise V.—Stand feet astride—arms stretched sideways in line with the . shoulders —palms turned upwards. Now circle the arms backwards in a circle ,of about 12 inches in diameter.

Exercise Vl.—Lie on the back, hands at the side, palms flat on tho floor. Count 1. —Bend the left knee towards the chest. Count 2. —Grasp the knee with both hands-

Count 3. —Now with a jerk, knee to chest.

Count 4.—Now left leg back to where you started from —hands at tho side. Do the same with tho right leg.

Exorcise VII. —Stand feet astride, body upright. Count I.—Keep the knees braced; bend downward and grasp the left ankle with both hands. Count 2.—;Stand upright again, arms at the side. Count 3.—Bend down and grasp the right ankle. Count 4. —Body erect.

POSTURE.

Feet parallel and in line, three inches apart, knees braced back, abdomen flat.

Shoulders down and moderately back, arms hanging relaxed at tho side. Head erect, held squarely on the shoulders, eyes looking their own height in front, chin in.